1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to an electrical compression connector.
2. Brief Description of Prior Developments
U.S. Pat. No. 5,898,131 discloses a twisted H-shaped electrical connector. A hydraulic compression tool can be used to compress the connector for connecting two conductors to each other at the same time. FCI USA Inc. sells electrical compression connectors under the part designation YH292C which are specifically designed for the telecommunications industry for making parallel and tap connections to copper Class I and Class K stranded conductors.
Class K conductors are more flexible than Class I conductors. This increased flexibility is provided by a substantially larger number of individual strands in the conductor. For example, a 2 AWG Class I copper stranded conductor has 161 strands and a 2 AWG Class K copper stranded conductor has 665 strands. The individual strands of a Class K conductor have a smaller diameter than the individual strands in a Class I conductor (0.01inch versus 0.201 inch). However, a Class K conductor has a larger outer diameter than a Class I conductor of the same electrical size (i.e., a 2 AWG Class K conductor has a 0.338 inch nominal diameter, and a 2 AWG Class I conductor has a 0.319 inch nominal diameter).
For the YH292C connector, the largest tap conductor receiving channel can accept and be properly crimped onto a Class I conductor between 2-6 AWG or a Class K conductor between 3-8 AWG. The YH292C connector cannot be properly crimped onto a 2 AWG Class K conductor at its largest tap conductor receiving channel. The largest tap conductor receiving channel is too small to properly receive and connect to the larger diameter Class K conductor. Although a 2 AWG Class K conductor can be placed inside the largest tap conductor receiving channel of the conventional YH292C compression connector, during compression strands of the Class K conductor are pushed out of the lateral side aperture of the tap conductor receiving channel before the aperture is closed. This creates a problem electrically due to the small percentage of strands actually contained in the compressed conductor tap receiving channel. These non-contained stands can also contact and thereby cause problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. In addition, these strands can break off of the conductor and cause additional problems with nearby electrical or electronic components. , The smaller tap conductor receiving channel for the YH292C connector can accept and be properly crimped onto a Class I conductor between 8-14AWG or a Class K conductor between 10-14 AWG. The YH292C connector cannot be properly crimped onto an 8 AWG Class K conductor at its smaller tap conductor receiving channel. The smaller tap conductor receiving channel is too small to properly receive and connect to the larger diameter Class K conductor. Although an 8 AWG Class K conductor can be placed inside the smaller tap conductor receiving channel of the conventional YH292C compression connector, during compression strands of the Class K conductor are pushed out of the lateral side aperture of the tap conductor receiving channel before the aperture is closed.
There is a desire to provide an electrical compression connector with tap conductor receiving channels which can be used with Class I and Class K conductors having the same electrical wire size. There is also a desire to provide an electrical compression connector adapted to be connected to a Class I conductor or a Class K conductor of the same size and can be compressed onto the Class K conductor without strands of the conductor being pushed out of a lateral side aperture into the tap conductor receiving area before the aperture is closed.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided having a first section with a first main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a first tap conductor receiving channel and a second tap conductor receiving channel extending into opposite respective first and second lateral sides of the connector. The tap conductor receiving channels comprise different shapes and different cross sectional areas.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a first main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a first tap conductor receiving channel and a second tap conductor receiving channel extending into opposite respective first and second lateral sides of the connector. The tap conductor receiving channels comprise different shapes or sizes, and bottom portions of the second section extend laterally outward past lateral sides of the first section.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an electrical compression connector is provided including a first section having a first main conductor receiving channel extending into a top side of the connector; and a second section integrally formed with the first section. The second section has a first tap conductor receiving channel and a second tap conductor receiving channel extending into opposite respective first and second lateral sides of the connector. Lateral sides of bottom portions of the second section extend laterally outward past lateral sides of top portions of the second section. The first tap conductor receiving channel is sized and shaped to fully crimp onto a 2 AWG size Class K conductor. The second tap conductor receiving channel is sized and shaped to fully crimp onto an 8 AWG size Class K conductor. The second section is about 1 inch wide or less and, less than about 0.7 inch high.